April's Great Outdoors

  The April Garden  

As it's National Gardening Week this week, we thought we'd let you in on a few top tips for your gardens in April...



Control weeds and aerate the soil by cultivating between the rows of plants and remember that April is a great time to select and plant fruit trees and berry plants as they tend to do best when planted in full sun. 

There is always plenty to do in the vegetable garden! Start planning perennial vegetables like asparagus, rhubarb, horseradish etc. but don't be late to transplant large trees or shrubs.

The months of March, April and May are ideal for pruning evergreens. Pop round the garden to remove any spent flowers, dead leaves or branches, or any yellowing leaves. When they have finished blooming, you should deadhead your spring flowering bulbs, but don't cut off the green foliage yet! These green leaves continue to grow for a few weeks, and provide the bulb with food for flowering next year.

Make your pond wildlife friendly by adding some native plants around the edge and keep the birds fed, but only with smaller pieces as they'll be feeding their fledglings too. Hedgehogs will be coming out of hibernation as well, so some extra food for them will be needed as they would have used up their fat stores over the winter. Put in some butterfly attracting plants such as buddleia, honesty or even nettles.

Rotate your house plants so that each side receives it's share of light, for even growth and a balanced shape. Rinse the dust from the leaves with the kitchen sprayer. Clean leaves allow the plant to breathe and pinch back the tips of foliage plants to stimulate new growth and make your plant fuller and bushier.

Want more gardening tips? Then get involved with the Wealden Times Midsummer Fair and Priceless People Wellbeing Festival, where we will be joined with gardening experts such as James Wong and The Benton Brothers! Get your tickets here...